Lapang appeals anti-nuke lobbies to withdraw agitations

Shillong, June 4 (UNI) Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang today reiterated his appeal to the anti-Uranium mining lobbies to withdraw their agitations.

He appealed to the agitators to allow the people to air their suggestions and objections at a public hearing scheduled on June 12 at Nongbah Jynrin village.

Speaking to newspersons after the cabinet meeting, Mr Lapang also clarified that the holding of the public hearing did not imply allowing the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) to start mining.

''The hearing was necessary and mandatory as per the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest notification to enable the Central and State Governments to assess the opinion of the people, including the local residents, before taking a decision on the matter,'' the Chief Minister said.

Meanwhile, the two-day office picketing called by the Khasi Students Union (KSU) and supported by the anti-mining lobbies to oppose the proposed public hearing on uranium mining, passed off peacefully with no untoward incidents reported so far.

Chief Secretary Ranjan Chatterjee said all State Government establishments functioned smoothly without any hindrance.

However, Central Government offices, including financial institutions remained closed due to the office-picket, he added.

Official sources said two political parties - the Hills State Peoples Democratic Party (HSPDP) and Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) were also opposing the mining.

Meanwhile, the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) decided to hold a public hearing at Nongbah Jynrin village on June 12 following the UCIL's proposal to develop an open cast mining at Kylleng-Pyndengsohiong Uranium ore and processing plant at Mawthabah.

The Rs 300 crore project in 1992 had been revised to Rs 814 crore at present and was strongly opposed by the anti-mining groups, including the HSPDP and KHNAM, the allies of the Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance Government.

The Atomic Minerals Directorate (AMD) had found uranium oxide reserves amounting to about 9,500 tonnes in the state. The sandstone type uranium deposits in Meghalaya were the largest, richest, near-surface and low-cost discovered in India so far, UCIL officials claimed.

UNI